Live-action 'Lilo & Stitch' film finds its Lilo in a newcomer

LOS ANGELES: Newcomer Maia Kealoha has been cast in Disney's live-action 'Lilo & Stitch', a remake of its cult 2002 animated movie.

Dean Fleischer Camp, the filmmaker behind indie darling and best animated feature Oscar nominee Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, is directing the feature that is intended to be a major release on Disney+, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

The Hawaii-centric story is about the bond between a lonely girl named Lilo and a dog-like alien named Stitch, who was genetically engineered to be a force of destruction.

With nosy social workers and pursuing aliens banging on the door, the two bond over a shared sense of family and win the day. Zach Galifianakis joined the cast in February. Stitch, naturally, will be a CG confection.

Chris Kekaniokalani Bright wrote the script for the adaptation. Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois wrote and directed the original feature that, while not an initial hit, developed a loyal fan base that has only grown over the years.